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While general discussion about the ACT test is allowed by ACT, discussion of test questions may violate your agreement with ACT. Please be thoughtful in your posts and replies.
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The ACT Test is Freaking Impossible?

sincerelysincerely Registered User Posts: 69 Junior Member
edited November 2009 in ACT Preparation
***? The first time I took the test was last saturday, never took a practice test and started to study stratagies using princeton review, "how to crack the ACT" three days before the test. You can't really study anything but the stratagies and the timing. Well, I was taking the test and got screwed over big time.

All the dam questions were easy, but ran out of time! If it wasn't for the princeton review, I would have done worse!

(When there's two mins. left, I fill in all the blank questions with one letter)
I killed the english; had to skip like, the last three
Timing killed me on math (it was easy though, skipped last 10 questions!)
Timing murdered me on reading (i was just shocked, probably skipped half)
Timing murdered me again on science (i never took science before, that was my first run; probably skipped 7/10 of the section)

I can't really remember accurately because I was focusing on answering all the common sense questions, but I know I skipped so much. The SAT just might be easier...


Please give me feedback,
if anyone else had the same experience as me! I took the ACT so I don't have to take the dam SAT II tests for admission requirements, but I think i'm freaking screwed! I'm planning to take the SAT again in december, but I might end up taking the ACT also.
Post edited by sincerely on
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Replies to: The ACT Test is Freaking Impossible?

  • xAAAxxAAAx Registered User Posts: 1,465 Senior Member
    Stick to one test, whichever suits you better
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  • gabby1116gabby1116 Registered User Posts: 498 Member
    That is the challenge of the ACT, it's all about time. If you take them again, take as many timed practice tests you possibly can. That's what worked for me.
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  • christynn0212christynn0212 Registered User Posts: 3 New Member
    oh my, trust me man, this Oct ACT is the hardest!
    iv taken three times this year, including Oct's;
    this one really knocks me down. i was so upset about the reading section and math section
    i did not even get enough time to finish the Math!! freaking math im talking about! i got 5 on AP calc in junior year and i cant even finish ACT's math!? thats nuts...
    as for the reading section...omg, i got like 8 questions left...
    this test is really disappointing
    we should write a letter or petition to the ACT official to talk about this test, its way too hard than any others from the past. Oct is the deadline for EA/ED, bad scores could kill us!
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  • byuboundbyubound Registered User Posts: 1,327 Senior Member
    Yup, the timing is what makes it difficult. The problems are really easy, but the time constraints limit what you're able to do unless you're really efficient. Unfortunately, and I'll paraphrase from Cracking the ACT: the ACT doesn't test how well you have mastered any concepts, but how well you take the ACT.
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  • tonystarktonystark Registered User Posts: 38 Junior Member
    If you're applying for a public College, go for the ACT. Yeah, it turns you mad when you noticed the failure and more if you took it many times. The Reading Section is hard, I hate that part. As I know, the company is upgrading the tests every moment, so you won't see anything similar compared with the books.
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  • MamalumperMamalumper Registered User Posts: 457 Member
    My son took the SAT and got in the low 1400's. Then took the ACT for the first time and got a composite score of 29. Not great, had the same problems you mentioned but ran out of time. Took a practice test to master the time thing and then took it again and scored a composite 34! Was a much better test for him (he takes alot of advanced classes so he knows the material) really knowledge based where as the SAT has alot of "tricks" on it to confuse you. Do you have time to take it again? You may do better the second time, he did.
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